Democratic Republic of Congo

Post-independence violence in DRC has peaked since the mid-1990s and civilians have long experienced gross human rights violations. Abuses committed by armed groups represent 69% of all confirmed cases of conflict-related sexual violence affecting women, girls, men and boys. Despite the unprecedented prosecution of high-ranking army officers and payment of reparation to survivors in 2014, sexual violence remains widespread and is reinforced by the country’s deep instability.